Kumara parvatha trekking was planned well before two weeks from the schedule date. Train tickets were confirmed as well countdown started in everybody’s mind for the most awaited event, to conquer the peak of kumara parvatha (KP).

After reaching Kukke Subramanya early in the morning, we purchased lot of eatables- fruits, Maggie and rice. I insisted on not carrying rice as its difficult to cook using firewood but 3 out of 5 were crazy enough to try that difficulty! So finally I yielded.

Vijaya visited the temple. All others cited the reason of not bathing just to start the trek early!

We got acclimatized to temperature and humidity after very tiring initial hiking. We pushed ourselves harder in order to reach bhattara mane to have a lunch ( it can be arranged with prior intimation). We ate till bottleneck and drank buttermilk as much as possible to compensate for dehydration. Nobody was able to tell whether food was really tasty or we felt that way because of tiredness!

We took few snaps at the viewpoint and left towards check post to get permission for trekking inside “pushpagiri forest range”. Permission was granted after verifying ID cards, filling up waiver forms, no damage rule form and paying fees. We were avoiding Mamun (Bangladesh national) directly in front of the forester as entry for foreigner was more. They checked few bags to seize kerosene and hot drinks. We had taken camphor to lit firewood. Generous forester provided the map of the trekking trail but we took photo of it and returned the map. He gave his mobile number to call for help in case of emergency. I murmured myself about availability of network signal but later on, to my surprise network was available at most of the high altitude peaks. We reached mantapa, refilled our water bottles and started to hike sheshaparvatha and camped few metres downhill from the peak. Few insisted to camp near mantapa where a water source was there but I was crazy about camping on the peak. Next morning we had to return to mantapa to get water…

Map Route- Topography Map

Map Route – Topography Map

on the way… Dense Forest

Mamun, Bangladesh National

At dusk, we were accompanied by beautiful fog for which we were hoping from the beginning. We ate Maggie in the evening and prepared rice for dinner without much difficulty as thought earlier. We ate rice along with my favorite “chutney pudi”. We saw elephant left over and fear passed through our minds only for a second. I can proudly say, Zeal for adventures overcome that fear. We started fire camp to which mamun, suneeth and jeetu’s contribution was considerable ( in collecting the wood which lasted till early morning and extra was dumped which hopefully might have helped other trekkers). We slept early as we were tired and also in order to reach our destination, kumara parvatha early in the morning to see sunrise. But……… we changed our plan of returning second day and planned to camp one more night!!

Elephant Droppings!

Sujeeth and Suneeth

Fire Camp @SheshaParvatha

Second day we walked as slow as possible with lot of photo session on the way to reach KP in the evening. For breakfast we prepared lemon rice and for lunch prepared rice with much difficulty as the wood was moist. At the peak of KP,We found a few group of trekkers littering place with plastic and cigarettes who had climbed from somwarpete side ( much easier trek of 7km from check post against ours of 17km from kukke). I request all trekkers to carry plastic bag and take back the waste. Please don’t force the forest department to stop giving permission because of your habit of dumping waste. Please keep such places clean for coming generation…

Avalakki!

Descending Sheshaparvatha

How about Rock Climbing?

It started drizzling and all of us got alert and collected wood for fire camp. Put it inside the tent and we were out in the heavy rain!….. But fate had different plan for us, everybody suddenly felt the shock which stroke us from thunderbolt. Approximately 15-20 were at the peak who felt it. All of us saw a flash of light just in front of us and most of them complained their legs are paining. Even I was not able to walk for few minutes. My brother told he saw spark near the nail of our tent. ( later, when we explained this to forester of beedahalli, somwarpete. He informed that more than 6 people had lost their leg till April 2012 on the KP peak!!!). All other groups started descending but except WE, members of Adventure Junkie.

Cliff 2

Rain, Firewood Storage!

Tiredness and thunderbolt instilled a feeling of spirituality in me.

Tents were flattering due to heavy wind. Sound was like someone screaming loudly. The firewood which we had collected failed to catch fire which added to the fear. I would like to call that fear as “thrill” because we never ran away from any of the adventures which we encountered.

Storage Wasted!

The sunrise was so beautiful and mesmerizing and it’s worth payoff for trekking 27km and hiking an overall altitude of 3012m. I bet you guys, desperation to get rid of leeches and tiredness will not be there in any corner of your heart once you see that sunrise.

I personally think altitude rises human spirits and may be that is the reason for raising temples, church or any praying hall on almost all the peaks all over the world.

Sunrise

We started descending and mercury level of our spirit started falling with every step down the hill!!. When I saw the board “0.5km to beedahalli checkpost” which was hanging on one of the tree, I felt like running back to jungle and live there. I remembered my nick name “mogli” which my friend rakesh used to call me in BE and laughed myself.

Towards Beedahalli

AJ Brothers

suneeth, Mamun, Vijayashree, sujeeth

Information

I would like to make few points on lessons learnt in our first overnight stay during trekking.

Never camp on the peak when its raining

Never litter, use dust bin. At least in such places where permission is required from forest department. If you carry the waste littered there, may be I would salute you!!

Don’t face the tent door against the wind ( to avoid condensing of air inside the tent)

Never run away from adventure.

I would like to finish this post on high note:

“Even Resentment of danger which strike me hard at the hardest time can’t derail me from adventure”- S.R.Sujeeth

My words in this post can’t do the justice to the experiences undergone…..